Oil tank gauging device



July 23, 1935. E. 1 MELEY OIL TANK GAUGING DEVICE Filed April 7. 1932 5Sheets-Sheet 1 /Mw @W July 23, 1935. E MELEY 2,009,117

OIL TANK GAUGING DEVICE Filed April 7, 1952 5 Sheets-sheet 2 July 23,i935. E. L. MELEY 2,009,117

OIL TANK GAUGING DEVICE Filed April 7, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 F ig. 5.(5f/Waff gc, /f//ff July 23, 1935. E. L. MELEY OIL TANK GAUGING DEVICEFiled April 7, 1932 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 6 w w. Km w -un a M W. x4 g @ZW @yWIM@ @y July A23, 1935. E. L.. MELEY OIL TANK GAUGING DEVICE Filed April'7, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IIIIIIIII||||l|l|l|l|lll|lllllvllllllllllIlllllllllllllllllll o l @Va/eff@C Wfy t @M96 @W A atlfoznaq".

'Patented July 23, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE on. TANK GAUGING'DEVICE Application April 7, 1932, Serial No.'603,824

8 Claims.

The present invention relating as indicated to an oil tank gaugingdevice, has more particular reference to a means for'measuring thequantity or temperature of oil contained in an oil storage 5 tank inwhich the oil is retained under pressure.

It is the general object and nature of the present invention to providea device for obtaining access to the interior of a pressure storagetank, for purposes of mensuration Without relieving the internal gaspressure of the tank. It is a further object to provide in a compactassembly a gauge line wiping device as well as a gauge line chalkingdevice. Briefly outlined, the embodiment of my invention consists of aflexible steel gauge line wound upon suitably positioned reels within agas-tight housing, with a transparent panel so placed upon the housingas to permit visible inspection of the gauge line. vObjects andadvantages additional Vto those above 9 enumerated shall become apparentas the fo1.

lowing description proceeds. To the accomplishment of the foregoing andrelated ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafterfully described and particularly pointed out in `5 vthe claims.

The annexed drawings and thefollowing descrlption set forth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various me- .0 chanical forms in whichthe principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevational sectional view taken substantially upon lineI-I of Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is an 5 elevational exterior view of the deviceembodying the principle of my invention; Fig. 3 is a. plan view of Fig.2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary illustration of the transparent sightingpanel; Fig. k5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially uponline 5--5 of Fig. 3; Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are fragmentary views takensubstantially upon lines 66, I--l and 8--8 respectively of Fig. l; Fig.9 illustrates my gauging device in position upon an oil storage tank;and Figs. 10, l1 and 12 are illustrative of alternative measuring-devices which may be used in conjunction with my device.

Referring to Fig. 9, my gapge box consists essentially of the housing Ihaving'projecting Y0 therefrom the threaded fitting tube 2 which isadapted to engage with a suitable inlet pipe or riser 'on the top of astorage tank 4. An ,ap-

propriate' form of valve 5 is used between the fittings 2 and 3 in orderto prevent escape of the gas pressure from the interior of the tank. A

gauge line 8 is adapted to be lowered into the. interior of the tank bymeans of rotation of the crank arm 1. After the gauge line 6 has oncebeen lowered to the bottom of the tank, it is then rewound back into thegas-tight housing' I, `5 whereupon the oil depth markings may be read/through the sight glass panel 8. The valve of course cannot be closeduntil the gauge line 6 is completely rewound back into the housing. Inorder to produce a more definite line of de- 10 marcation upon the gaugeline 6, a suitably po.- sitioned piece of chalk 9 is adapted to bearagainst the face of the gauge line when lowered into the tank. A feltwiping device I0 is also provided upon the interior of the gas-tighthousing I in order to clean the surface of the gaugeline upon successivereadings.

A snap hook I I secured to the end ofthe gauge line 6 may carry theplumb bob I2 'for ordinary depth readings or the tank thieving'graduateI3 20 (Figs. 10 and 11), or the thermometer I4 may be attached to thesnap hook I I for the obvious purposes of taking samples or measuringthe oil temperatures respectively. I

The manner lin which the gauge line 6 is 25 carried within the interiorof the gas-tight housing is best illustrated by the mechanism shown inFig. 1, wherein the idler reels I5 and I6 are adapted to guide the gaugeline 6 across the face of the sight panel 8. The centrally disposed reelI I is mounted upon the shaft I8 which extends to the exterior of the'gas-tight housing I and .s atmospherically sealed by means of thepacking gland4 I8. The hand crank I is secured to the exterior end ofthe shaft I8 in order to produce 35 rotation of the reel II and therebywind or unwind the gauge line 6. A flange 20 is removably secured to oneside of the reel I'I by means of suitable fastening nuts 2|, inorder'toy facilitate the installation and removal of the gauge line 6.The interiorend of the shaft I8 is journaled in the bearing 22 which is,in turn, positioned upon the removable inspection panel 23. Knurledthumb screws 24 and'25 serve to removably secure the inspection panel23- in place upon the 45 housing I. i I

,A -resilient spring 28 mounted upon the transverse shaft 21 is adaptedto bear against the face of the idler reel I5 and to serve as a brakingmeans for .the reeling action. -A suitable guide bracket 28 operates tomaintain the gauge line B in position upon the idler lreel i5.

As above stated, and best illustrated in Figs.

3, 4 and 5, the gauge line S is carried past the sight panel 8 in orderto provide means for ex- 55 terior inspection and reading of the line.The sight panel 8 carries the transparent panel 30 and the readingmarker 3|. The sight panel 8 is also removably secured to the housing Iby means of the pivoted thumb screws 32 and is atmospherically sealed bymeans of a suitable air-tight packing 33.

Another removable panel 35, as best illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 8carries the gauge line chalking device 9 and wiper I0. A pair of pivotedthumb screws 36 likewise serve to removably secure the panel 35 to thehousing I. in the cup-like receptacle 40 which is spring mounted bymeans of the coil spring 4I upon the shaft 42. The shaft 42 threadablyengages with the bushing 43 and is sealed from the exterior atmosphereby means of the packing gland 44. A knurled thumb wheel 45 serves torotate the shaft 42 and to correspondingly move the chalk 9 in and outof engagement with the face of the gauge line 6, at the will of theoperator.

` 'Ihe wiping felt I0 is carried upon the shaft 46 which is springmounted by means of the coil spring 41, the tension of which isadjustably variable by means of the threaded cap 48. Another wiping felt50 is disposed upon the opposite side of the gauge line to that of thewiping felt I0. The pressure with which the wiping felt I 0 is made tobear against the gauge line 6 is controlled by means of the rack 5Iengaging with the gear 52 mounted upon the shaft 53. 'Ihe shaft 53extends to the exterior of the housing I through the packing gland. 54,and is operably rotated by means of the hand lever 55.

An automatic stop 56 may be immovably secured upon the gauge line 6 andis adapted to bear against the reading marker 3| in order toautomatically limit the extent of travel of the gauge line.

My above described gauging device may be utilized either as a permanentor portable installation. When it is intended for portable use asuitable handle 51 may be fastened to the exterior of the housing I.'

It will thus be seen that'I have provided a unique and novel device forobtaining access -to the interior of storage tanks without necessitatingthe reliefof internal gas pressure in the tank, nor subjecting theoperator to the hazards of escaping toxic gases.

, Other modes of applying'the principle of my invention maybe employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of s'uch stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. AIn a gauging device, the combination of an atmospherically sealedhousing member, a `gauge line normally contained in said member andmeans operably positioned within said housing member forreciprocalmovement of said gauge line, said housing member including ameans for automatically chalking said line, and transparent means forvisible exterior inspection of said line.

2. In a gauging device, the combination of an atmospherically sealedhousing member, a gauge line normally contained in 'said member andmeans operably positioned within said housing member for reciprocalmovement of said gauge The chalk 9 is carried line, said housing memberincluding a means for automatically chalking said line, transparentmeans for visible exterior inspection of said line, and adjustablyoperable means for wiping said line.

3. In combination with a liquid storage tank, means for gauging theinterior of said tank comprising the combination of a riser on the topof said tank, a valve in said riser, an atmospherically sealed box, agauge line normally contained in said box, said box having an openingfor the passage of the gauge line, and means for removably attachingsaid box at said opening in sealed relationship to said riser.

4. A gauging device for a liquid storage tank comprising the combinationof an atmospherically sealed housing member, a gauge line normallycontained in said housing member means contained within said housingmember for raising and lowering said gauge line in the interior of saidtank, means also contained in said housing for chalking said gauge line,and means for re' movably attaching said housing member in sealedconnection to said tank.

5. A gauging device for a liquid storage tank comprising the combinationof an atmospherically sealed housing member, a gauge line normallycontained in said housing member means contained within said housingmember for raising and lowering said gauge line in the interior of saidtank, means also contained in said housing for chalking said gauge line,a transparent panel in said housing for visible exterior inspection andreading of said line, and means for removably attaching said housingmember in sealed connection to said tank.

6. A gauging device for a liquid storage tank comprising the combinationof an atmospherically sealed housing member, a. gauge line normallycontained in said housing member means containedvwithin said housingmember for raising and lowering said gauge line in the interior of saidtank, adjustable pressure wiping means in said housing for said gaugeline, and means for removably attaching said housing member in sealedconnection to said tank.

7. A gauging device for a liquid storage tank comprising the combinationof an atmospherically sealed housing member, a gauge line normallycontained in said housing member means contained within said`y housingmember for raising and lowering said gauge line in the interior of saidtank, means also contained in said housing for chalking said gauge line,adjustable pressure wiping means in said housing for said gauge line,

and means for removably attaching said housing member in sealedconnection to said tank.

8. A gauging device for a liquid storagetank means in said housing forsaid gauge line, and' means for removably attaching said housing memberin sealed connection to said tank.

' EVERETT L. MELEY,

